A pig in a backyard poke!
It’s Page One news in Madison WI and deservedly so! Rudi the pet pig has run afoul of the law. The little porker faces exile from his city home on the near West side. The one-year-old exotic Piglet — a character out of Winnie the Pooh — apparently violates city ordinance prohibiting his species from dwelling within city limits anywhere outside the meat counter at the local HyVee.
Thanks for putting a smile on our pinched face amidst news of Ukraine, grand juries, culture wars, and mass shootings!
Back in March, Blaska recounted his delight on encountering Rudi on a ride on the Southwest bike path in the Monroe-Dudgeon neighborhood. “Oh, that’s Rudi,” a helpful passerby informed, while Rudi snuffled and wagged his little tail, oblivious to his audience. Off to the side, a dog house remains unused; the urban homesteaders shelter ol’ Rudi inside on bitter cold days, we were told. The little fellow was restrained only by a thin, 3-foot tall fence.
We noted then that Rudi had taken sides in the state supreme court race; he was (ahem) rooting for Protasiewicz.
Wonderful story today in our favorite morning daily newspaper in Madison WI details how the owner, Paula Niedenthal, takes care to have Rudi out and about when school lets out so the kids can enjoy Rudi. Leaves a bowl of the fellow’s snacks with instructions. Put up a ramp to help the short-legged creature up the steps and into the enclosed porch.
Wouldn’t you know! One scrooge of a neighbor complained. Pigs are prohibited! Law is the law (ORD-18-00058 was revised in 2018) but this one likely was first enacted when urban dwellers kept a cow for milk in the back barn and a hog or two for butchering. Hogs do escape their enclosure, admittedly, and can wreak havoc when they do. Ald. Tag Evers — a decent fellow — promises to revise the ordinance. It already allows a limited number of chickens (but not crowing roosters). Rudi is not a water buffalo, after all.
Blaska’s Bottom Line: Feral hogs are a major problem in rural southwest Wisconsin but Rudi seemed content to confine his rooting around home, happy to remain on his side of the fence — a fence barely taller than he. It’s a lesson many of us could learn.
16 responses to “Thanks! We needed that!”
[…] This post originally appeared at https://davidblaska.com/2023/07/19/thanks-we-needed-that/ […]
Porky thanks you. Rudi thanks you. And, I thank you for this Pulitzer Prize-worthy column today. Such a much-needed break from the bull chit we are regularly subjected to via the drive-by media. I have a very soft spot for this Rudi, though admittedly, I have never met him. We had a Rudy in our neighborhood…and he was a very vocal rooster. Much loved and much hated equally by all. He would chase kids out of his yard and hang out on the fence post, but was gentle enough to let us pet him. He became a talking point to the kids of the neighborhood who hadn’t seen each other for over fifty years when meeting up again on FB. Imagine that kind of staying power!
Rudi is sometimes referred to as Mayor of the Southwest Bike Trail. I think city staff would serve the citizenry of Mad City better if they put similar effort into running another porcine Mayor out of town. All the way back to Albuquerque.
Now now. Be nice. The left/democrats would never call the right/republicans names like racists, Nazi’s, or the many other names they come up with.
This is a warm, heart-warming story with an undercurrent of White Privilege. It is a perfect example of “Broken Windows Theory”, where if small infractions are overlooked, they can lead to larger actions that will impact already marginalized groups disproportionately.
TODAY we are talking about a sweet, friendly, harmless pig. TOMORROW someone will want to adopt a vicious Honey Badger, resulting in severe physical injuries to any, and all burglars/home invaders that they encounter. Honey Badgers love to go for “car rides”, and will insist on accompanying you as you run errands. (you cannot tell them NO, they don’t accept NO) Honey Badgers present a threat, and a “clear and present danger” to carjackers that your infant and small children do not.
Who could live with the thought of a criminal having his face ripped off? For what? Property? (and your children’s safety)? Despite all this,…….
I fear EVERYBODY WILL WANT ONE.
(I studied Honey Badgers on YouTube this morning, and know of which I speak, and also, this might be satire)
yummmmmmm…. Rudi brats.
The cringe inducing, unfunny Lazy @$$ Blogge Idiot TROLT issues yet another idiotically tone-deaf slobbering?
We’re shocked…SHOCKED…said no one.
The Gotch
save your hand wringing you gherkin yanker. why don’t you build Rudi a little house right next to that rock you’ve been sniffling about.
https://stevewitherspoonhome.files.wordpress.com/2020/01/stupidtrophy.jpg?w=300
My nomination for a BRT mascot would be Rudi! Who better to be a spokesperson for the Mayors pork barrel pet project. Some might remark a “white elephant”, but they are getting hard to recruit….white is out.
As a city employee, representing mass transit, Rudi would put a smile on passengers faces while eating approved dietary handouts, riding the fast bus from East Towne to West Towne malls. And once on the city coffers, as a minority Rudi would be protected from exile. My advice to Rudi, play the DEI card, it trumps all.
Rudi for mayor!
Rudi for mayor!
So long as neither Edward Ben Elson nor Leon Varjian are available….
The Gotch
tRump’s running mate?
Last night a co-worker said they heard John “Sly” Sylvester talking about Rudi on his call-in radio show.
One caller suggested that Rudi simply self-identify himself as a dog.
Why wouldn’t Madison’s common council be happy with that?
Hah! That would be perfect.
I bet the complainer revels in the thought that Madison is a sanctuary city.